Vacuum breaker



1955 H. E. REINECKE VACUUM BREAKER Filed Dec. 12, 1952 United StatesPatent OfiFice 2,722,943 Patented Nov. 8, 1955 VACUUM BREAKER Howard E.Reinecke, La Crescenta, -Calih, a'ssignor to Febco, Inc., .Los Angeles,Calif a corporation of California Application December 12, 1952, SerialNo. 325,529

4 Claims. (Cl. 137-217) This invention relates to vacuum breakers andparticularly to an improved for-m thereof having capacity to open theport thereof to atmosphere before the line pressure reaches atmosphericpressure.

It is common practice and many cases it is required by plumbing codes toprotect water service lines from contamination due to reversed flowtherein caused by failure of pressure at some point therein below thehighest service outlet with consequent possible intake from an openedoutlet of contaminated water by the installation of vacuum breakerswhich open the service line to atmosphere when the line pressure dropsto a predetermined point and thus prevent induction of contaminatedwater through a service outlet.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a vacuumbreaker which is constructed and arranged to open the air inlet portthereof at a predetermined minimum line pressure which is aboveatmospheric pressure.

Another object of the invention to provide a vacuum breaker having airport valve means comprising a spring biased, ported diaphragm normallytending to open the port and a float valve means closing a port in thediaphragm when the level of water in the valve reaches the level of thediaphragm port.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuurn breaker inwhich the foregoing objectives are realized in practice, which is simplein construction, economical to manufacture, and reliable in use.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such additionalobjects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention residesin the parts, and in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts, disclosed by way of example, in the following specification ofone mode of execution of the invention; reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings which form a part of said specification and inwhich drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a vacuum breaker embodying the presentinvention,

JFig. 2 is an enlarged, top plan view of the vacuum breaker shown in Fig1 with the splash diverting cover thereof removed to show constructiondetails,

Figs. 3, 4 and .5 are fragmentary medial sectional views taken on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the valve in closed, partially open, andopen positions, respectively, and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view taken on the lines 6-6 in Figs. 1 and with thevalve components in open position.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the inventioncomprises a bottom body member '1 having a horizontally disposed flangeportion 2 clamped by bolts 3 to the corresponding flange portion 4 of atop body member 5 with the rim portion 6 of a flexible diaphragm 7interposed between said flange portions and serving as a gasket betweenthe flanges while anchoring the diaphragm in place. The lower end of thebody member 1 is provided with an inlet port 8 internally threaded forreception of a pipe P extending upwardly from the highest portion of thesystem to be protected by the vacuum breaker and within the body memberthe port 8 communicates with an inverted frusto conical space 9terminating at its upper end in the plane of the upper surface of theflange 2; the wall surface forming said space being interrupted by aplurality of vertically extending, radially disposed ribs 10 the upperfaces of which are substantially horizontal and disposed slightly belowthe plane of the upper surface of the flange 2 and serve as limitingmeans for the downward movement of the diaphragm 7 as best seen in Fig.5.

The. upper body member 5 on the inner surface thereof is generallyconvex with the central portion 11 thereof formed as a shallow recess inwhich is mounted a valve seat washer 12 having a depending peripheralridge 13 positioned for engagement with the upper surface of thediaphragm 7 when the breaker is in closed position as will be laterdescribed. Bordering the recess 11 and extending from the outer to theinner surfaces of the body member 5 are a series of sector shaped airports 14 and between the adjacent ends of the air ports are hollowcylindrical bosses 15 closed at their upper ends and serving as housingsand abutments for the upper ends of diaphragm biasing compressionsprings 16; the lower end of said springs fitting over upstanding bosses17 on the upper surface of the diaphragm 7 as best shown in Figs. 3, 4and 5. The outer walls 18 of the air ports 14 extend above the outersurface of the body member 5 and at the mid length thereof are providedwith drainage slots 19. The upper ends of the bosses 15 extend above theplane of the upper edge of the walls 18 and support a splash preventingcap 21 having a downwardly projecting peripheral rim 21 disposed aboveand extending laterally outwardly beyond the vertical plane containingthe walls 18. Screws .22 extending through the cap 19 and engaging theupper ends of the bosses 15 secure the cap 20 in position thereon.

The diaphragm 7 is provided with a centrally disposed circular opening23 slightly smaller than the diameter of the valve seat rib 13 andembedded in the diaphragm slightly outwardly of the opening 23 anddisposed directly beneath the spring engaging bosses 17 is a metalwasher 24 providing stiffness to the area of the washer subjected to theaction of the springs 16. A ring of thin, flexible plastic material 25'is clamped between the upper surface of the diaphragm and the flange 4of the body member 5; the inner portion of the ring extending almost tothe springs 16 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. The plastic is much thinnerthan shown in the drawing, being of the order of about .007" to about.015" and has surface characteristics that do not cause it to adhere tothe inner surface of the body member 5 when the valve is maintained inclosed position over long periods of time as is apt to be the case withthe rubber from which the diaphragm is formed.

Extending downwardly from the under surface of the body member 5 throughthe center of the valve seat washer 12 is a stud 25 the lower end ofwhich extends some distance below the upper faces of the ribs 10 andloosely mounted on the stud is a disc like valve element 26 having adiameter slightly larger than the diaphragm opening v'23 (see Fig. 3)and a nut 27 on the lower end of the stud 25 determines the extent ofdownward movement of the valve element 26. For most uses the valveelement .is formed of a plastic material such as polyethylene which hasa specific gravity sufficiently low to enable it to float, but in somecases as will be later discussed, this valve element may be made ofmaterial of heavier specific gravity.

, Assuming that the valve is installed in a system and in the absence ofpressure from the system is in open position as shown in Fig. 5, on theentrance of water through the inlet port 8, the valve element will floatupwardly on the water along the stud 25 until the upper face of thevalve element 26 contacts the under face of the diaphragm 7 in theregion of the opening 23 therein, as shown in Fig. 4, closing thatopening and thus subjecting the entire area of the diaphragm to thewater pressure which then causes the diaphragm to move upwardlycompressing the springs 16 until the upper face thereof adjacent theopening 23 engages the valve seat ridge 13, closing of: the air portswith the static pressure on the portion of the member 26 engaging thediaphragm assisting in this sealing action; the remaining area of thediaphragm being pressed upwardly against the inner surface of the upperbody member 4 as shown in Fig. 3. This is the normal position of thevacuum breaker while in service. Should the system pressure drop to apoint near atmospheric pressure the springs 16 first move the diaphragmaway from the air ports 14 but so long as there is water in the lowerportion of the device the valve element 26 will remain in contact withthe under side of the diaphragm and thus exclude the entrance of air andthe escape of water. If the pressure should drop to approximatelyatmospheric or below, the valve element 26 will move away from thediaphragm opening and allow air to enter the system and thus preventinduction of water from an opened service outlet; the extent of downwardmovement of the diaphragm being limited by engagement with the ribs asshown in Fig. 5.

In the above described form of the invention the action has beendescribed in connection with the use of a valve element 26 formed oflight weight material. If a heavier weight material is employed for thisvalve element the action in closing the valve is the same as previouslydescribed, but upon contact of the diaphragm with the valve seat element12, the pressure on the upper and lower surface of the heavier valveelement 26 becomes equalized through the clearance around the stud 25allowing the valve element to drop to the nut 27 as indicated in dottedlines at 28 in Fig. 3. Thus upon any pressure drop sufficient to allowthe springs 16 to move the diaphragm downwardly, the line is opened toadmit air even though the pressure may be slightly above atmospheric.Upon the return of line pressure, the rush of water into the vacuumbreaker will move the valve element upwardly into contact with thediaphragm after which the remaining closing action is the same as hasbeen previously described. Thus, by the simple expedient of selection ofthe type of material, or rather by the installation of a valve elementhaving floating or non-floating characteristics, the vacuum breaker ofthe present invention can be adapted to open either above or veryslightly below atmospheric pressure to suit the needs of a particularinstallation without further change in the assembly. Further, eventhough service conditions may be such as to cause the diaphragm toremain in closed position over long periods of time, the interposedmembrane of non-adhering material will allow the springs to immediatelymove the diaphragm to open the air ports when the pressure drop issufiicient to exert a lesser force against the diaphragm area than isexerted by the springs.

Since, in view of the foregoing disclosure, modifications will suggestthemselves to others skilled in the art, it is not to be inferred thatthe invention is limited to the exact form thereof above described andit is to be understood that the invention includes all such changes andmodifications in the parts, and in the construction, combination, andarrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a vacuum breaker, a hollow body structure comprising upper andlower body members having complementary bolting flanges, a flexiblediaphragm having the outer edge thereof disposed between said flanges;said diaphragm having a centrally disposed opening and a rigidreinforcing member surrounding said opening and embedded in saiddiaphragm, a valve seat on said upper body member positioned forengagement by said diaphragm in the area thereof adjacent to saidopening, bolts connecting said flanges and said diaphragm edge, an inletport extending through a wall of said lower body member and adapted forconnection to a water service line, a series of air ports extendingthrough a wall of said upper body member and disposed radially outwardlyof said valve seat, a plurality of compression springs disposed inalternation between said air ports and extending between said upper bodymember and the reinforced area of said diaphragm, a vertically disposedstud carried by said upper body member extending downwardly through andbelow said opening in said diaphragm, a disc like valve element ofgreater diameter than said diaphragm opening loosely mounted on saidstud below said diaphragm, and means on said stud effective to hold saidvalve element on said stud.

2. In a vacuum breaker, a hollow body structure comprising upper andlower body members having complementary bolting flanges, a flexiblediaphragm having the outer edge thereof disposed between said flanges;said diaphragm having a centrally disposed opening and a rigidreinforcing member surrounding said opening and embedded in saiddiaphragm, a valve seat on said upper body member positioned forengagement by said diaphragm in the area thereof adjacent to saidopening, bolts connecting said flanges and said diaphragm edge, an inletport extending through a wall of said lower body member and adapted forconnection to a water service line, a series of air ports extendingthrough a wall of said upper body member and disposed radially outwardlyof said valve seat, a plurality of compression springs disposed inalternation between said air ports and extending between said upper bodymember and the reinforced area of said diaphragm, a vertically disposedstud carried by said upper body member extending downwardly through andbelow said opening in said diaphragm, a disc like valve element ofgreater diameter than said diaphragm opening loosely mounted on saidstud below said diaphragm, and means on said stud effective to hold saidvalve element on said stud; said valve element being formed of materialhaving a specific gravity which is less than that of water.

3. In a vacuum breaker, a hollow body structure comprising upper andlower body members having complementary bolting flanges, a flexiblediaphragm having the outer edge thereof disposed between said flanges;said diaphragm having a centrally disposed opening and a rigidreinforcing member surrounding said opening and embedded in saiddiaphragm, a valve seat on said upper body member positioned forengagement by said diaphragm in the area thereof adjacent to saidopening, bolts connecting said flanges and said diaphragm edge, an inletport extending through a wall of said lower body member and adapted forconnection to a water service line, a series of air ports extendingthrough a wall of said upper body member and disposed radially outwardlyof said valve seat, a plurality of compression springs disposed inalternation between said air ports and extending between said upper bodymember and the reinforced area of said diaphragm, a vertically disposedstud carried by said upper body member extending downwardly through andbelow said opening in said diaphragm, a disc like valve element ofgreater diameter than said diaphragm opening loosely mounted on saidstud below said diaphragm, and means on said stud effective to hold saidvalve element on said stud; said valve element being formed of amaterial having a specific gravity which is greater than that of water.

4. In a vacuum breaker a hollow body structure comprising an upper bodymember and a lower body member; said members having complementarybolting flanges provided with bolt receiving holes, a flexible diaphragmextending across the interior of said body structure and having an edgeportion coextensive with said bolting flanges and disposed between saidflanges, bolts extending 5 through said bolt receiving flanges and saidedge portion of said diaphragm, a centrally disposed opening extendingthrough said diaphragm, a plurality of air ports extending through saidupper body member and disposed radially outwardly of said opening, aninlet port in said lower body member and adapted for connection to awater service line, a valve seat member carried by said upper bodymember and positioned for engagement by the portion of said diaphragmsurrounding and adjacent to said opening, spring means tending to movesaid diaphragm away from said valve seat, and water flow responsivevalve means comprising a stud depending from said upper body memberthrough said diaphragm opening and a disc like valve element looselymounted on said stud and disposed below said diaphragm operative uponflow of water 6 through said inlet port from a service line to effectinitial closure of said diaphragm opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS657,896 Rowe Sept. 11, 1900 1,283,581 Smith Nov. 5, 1918 2,159,691 FoxMay 23, 1939 2,203,859 Brendlin June 11, 1940 2,282,338 Moody May 12,1942 2,292,373 Groeniger Aug. 11, 1942 2,332,695 Cantor Oct. 26, 19432,443,816 Davis June 22, 1948 2,600,731 Carlton June 17, 1952

